Dallas Braden staying, endorses Silva

STOCKTON - Oakland A's pitcher Dallas Braden said Friday he will remain in Stockton, reversing a previous announcement that he planned to move on over frustration with City Hall's handling of crime.

Scott Smith

STOCKTON - Oakland A's pitcher Dallas Braden said Friday he will remain in Stockton, reversing a previous announcement that he planned to move on over frustration with City Hall's handling of crime.

Braden, 29, made the statement at a campaign event where he announced his support for mayoral candidate Anthony Silva, who seeks to unseat incumbent Mayor Ann Johnston on Nov. 6.

Braden didn't apologize for shouting at Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones last month in front of hundreds during an anti-violence rally at Victory Park. Rather he explained his outburst as a "heat of the moment thing."

His loyalty for Stockton is unquestioned, he said.

"I don't know, we can do a poll, maybe a show of hands," Braden told a crowd of Silva supporters gathered at the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel. "How many people here have a 209 tattoo on them? I do, and it's real close to my heart, and that's where the city lies."

Braden's 209 tattoo, for Stockton's area code, is on his stomach.

Braden said he's going to use his status for positive change. In April 2010, he made baseball history by pitching a perfect game, at the time only the 19th in history. One has been pitched since. Braden is on the disabled list but earned nearly $3.4 million this season with the A's while his shoulder recovers.

At Victory Park on Sept. 26, Braden carried a baseball bat and from the crowd shouted, trying to interrupt Jones. Braden then accused city leaders of lying to residents about their safety.

A road-rage incident within the week had sparked his ire, Braden said.

A Stockton police report describes Braden approaching officers tending to a car accident. Braden shouted expletives, demanding they chase down the person who kicked his black Cadillac. His grandmother also had recently been burglarized, Braden had said.

All of these welled up when he attended the neighborhood meeting, he said.

"I spoke very candidly about the emotions coursing through me at the time," Braden said Friday.

Silva, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stockton and a mayoral candidate, welcomed Braden's endorsement, saying he and the star athlete both have at heart the interest of the city's at-risk youth.

Perhaps Braden did not exhibit the best behavior by publicly challenging Jones, Silva said, but Braden did nothing wrong by pointing out the lack of police services in Stockton.

"He got frustrated. He got mad, and you know, he deserves to be upset," Silva said, adding that current "city leaders have blood on their hands."

Both Braden and Silva were introduced to speak at Friday's event by Sgt. Kathryn Nance, president of the Stockton Police Officers' Association, which has endorsed Silva.

Johnston was not at the event, but in a phone interview afterward praised Braden for his decision to stay in Stockton.

"That's what we want all of our citizens to do is stay here, work to reduce the crime, work to really solve the problems," she said. "He's a good sport for doing that."